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Tirana Map

Berat

Berat is a very special city that is a must-see destination. Berat is Albania's second most important museum town. It is sometimes called "the city of a thousand windows" as the red-roofed houses seem to be filled with them. Along the ridge above the gorge is a 14th century citadel sheltering small Orthodox churches such as the Orthodox Cathedral of Our Lady, the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Church of the Evangelists, all of which should be seen. You should also visit the Mangalem, the old Muslim quarter, which is located on the slope below the citadel. A seven-arched stone bridge leads to Gorica, which is the Christian quarter. There are also several fine mosques, such as the Leaden Mosque, the King's Mosque, the Bachelor's Mosque and the Alveti Tekke. Berat is 75 miles southeast of Tirana.

Berat was founded in the 13th century, probably on the site of the ancient Greek settlement of Antipatrea. Under Turkish rule from 1440, Berat was the center of the Albanian nationalist movement in the late 19th century in which Albanians waged a struggle to win autonomy from the Ottoman Empire. Berat is known as the site of meetings in October 1944 in which the Albanian Communist Party formed a provisional government headed by Enver Hoxha. Population (1990 estimate) 43,800.